Code of Practice on Access to Government Information

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are their reasons for refusing to accept:
	(a) the finding by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (Case No. A28/01) that there was no valid reason under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information for the then Home Secretary to have refused to disclose the number of times Ministers in his Department had made a declaration of interest to colleagues under the Ministerial Code; and
	(b) the Parliamentary Commissioner's recommendation that this information should be released; and
	Whether their refusal to accept:
	(a) the finding by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (Case No. A28/01) that there was no valid reason under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information for the then Home Secretary to have refused to disclose the number of times Ministers in his department had made a declaration of interest to colleagues under the Ministerial Code; and
	(b) the Parliamentary Commissioner's recommendation that this information should be released, is in breach of a general principle of fair administration that no one should be judged in his own cause; and, if not, why not.

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston: The Government's position is set out in the report of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration on Access to Official Information: Declarations made under the Ministerial Code of Conduct.

Ministry of Defence: Trading Fund Agencies Expenditure

Baroness Park of Monmouth: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the total sum spent on consultancies by the Ministry of Defence and its associated agencies respectively (broken down by agencies) in (a) the budget year 2000–01 and (b) the period from April 2001 to December 2001.

Lord Bach: The total sums spent on consultancies alone is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, the Ministry of Defence spent a total of £355.230 million on external assistance, which includes expenditure on consultancy, in the budget year 2000–01. Within this figure, spend by trading fund agencies was £68.068 million broken down as follows:
	
		
			 Agencies £ millions 
			 Defence Evaluation & Research Agency 65.968 
			 Meteorological Office 1.737 
			 Hydrographic Office 0.363 
		
	
	Figures for the period April 2001 to December 2001 will not be available until after the end of the financial year, but I will write to the noble Baroness with the half-year figures, covering the period April 2001 to September 2001, when these are available and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Millennium Dome

Viscount Astor: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the share of the profit that English Partnerships received from the Ministry of Sound rental of the Millennium Dome on 31 December 2001.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Under the contract between English Partnerships and Ministry of Sound, some time remains before the financial settlement is required to be completed.

Millennium Dome

Viscount Astor: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the pre-sale valuation of the Dome site was undertaken on the basis of the Dome being in place or without it; and
	Which external advisors were used to value the Dome site; and what were the fees payable to them.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: Various pre-sale valuations and value for money assessments have been undertaken, on the basis of the Dome being in place and without it.
	Jones Lang Lasalle are the external advisors who have valued the Dome site. Their fees for the valuation are a constituent element in their overall fee payment in relation to the sale process, which will depend on the finally agreed terms.

Structure Plans

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many shire counties have failed to produce a structure plan within the specified time-scale.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: There is no specified time-scale for the production of a structure plan. However, national guidance indicates that structure plans should be reviewed or altered as soon as possible to take account of new regional planning guidance (RPG). Following the last round of RPG reviews, the average time-scale from issue of the relevant RPG for production of a structure plan was three and half years. Furthermore, 21 counties took five years or more to adopt a revised plan from issue of the relevant RPG.

Proportional Representation Systems

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 4 December 2001 (WA 126), what are the disadvantages of the single transferable vote and open list systems of proportional representation which led the Government not to consider their possible introduction for the next round of European elections.

Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The merits of various proportional representation systems were fully considered before the introduction of the "closed list" system for the 1999 European parliamentary elections. The review of that election did not reveal any reason for further consideration of alternative systems.

Definition of "Rural"

Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their definition of the word "rural".

Lord Whitty: The Government have no single definition of a rural area. At present we use different definitions for different policy purposes. For instance, in deciding how to target help to local authorities which were hardest hit by foot and mouth disease we used a definition of "rurality" developed by the Countryside Agency. We recognise that there is a need for a more co-ordinated approach to the use of definitions of urban and rural areas. For that reason DEFRA, the Countryside Agency and the Office for National Statistics are working with the DTLR to better define urban and rural areas.

Pennine Bridleway

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress is being made on the creation of the Pennine Bridleway; and what are the targets for achievement in 2002.

Lord Whitty: Progress on the Pennine Bridleway was slow in 2001 due to the foot and mouth outbreak which prevented access to land for construction work. Activity to date has been on the section, from Middleton Top in Derbyshire to Long Preston in North Yorkshire, funded through the Countryside Agency and Sport England Lottery Fund. The length completed and future targets for this section are as follows:
	
		
			 Total length Completed by 2001 Completed by 2002 Completed by 2003 
			 230km 103km 183km 230km 
		
	
	In 2002 a key target is to open the Mary Towneley Loop—a 42-mile circular section in the centre of the Pennine Bridleway. This will be available to horse riders, off-road cyclists and walkers. A map and accommodation and services guide will be published. The accommodation, stabling and other associated businesses are gearing up for this opening. It is hoped that the Pennine Bridleway will be fully open during 2004.